CLUBCALL

The club travelled to Ballyroan, Co. Laois, for the Leinster cross-country relays recently and put in some great performances. First up was the Under12 girls' team of Chloe Mullally, Sophie Mullally, Mary Clare O'Dwyer and Doireen Sheehan. These girls put in a strong run and took home the bronze medal.

Next up were the Under-12 boys' team of Paul Murphy, Killian Griffin, Ian Byrne, Cathal Bernie and Rory O'Connor. They were first team home, taking the gold medal. The boys put in a fantastic run and led from start to finish.

The boys' Under-14 team of Oisin Griffin, Jack Elliot, Richie Murphy and Darragh McDonald finished in fifth place, and the girls' Under-16 team of Helen Hoynes, Mia Griffin, Sarah Lawlor and Alice O'Connor finished sixth. Well done to all who took part and represented their club so proudly.

The club would like to thank all outgoing officers who did great work. A special thanks to outgoing Chairperson Dennis Power who held this position for the last four years and did Trojan work.

Adult and juvenile training is every Tuesday and Thursday at 7 p.m. in the parish sports ground. There's Fit For Life, walking, jogging and running every Monday and Wednesday at 7.15 p.m. at the Pink Rock.

NEW ROSS RUGBY

New Ross 19s travelled to a windy and muddy Enniscorthy on Saturday to fulfil a challenge match in advance of their Leinster League quarter-final versus Mullingar next week. Enniscorthy started the brighter on a very heavy surface and scored a converted try after ten minutes following some good intricate play by their backs considering the slippery ball.

Ross responded soon after following strong mauling and close-in multi-phase play, with Michael Coyne going over in the left corner. At this stage, Ross were getting the better of their opposite numbers and were starting to build some momentum coming up to half-time with the score lying at 7-5 to the home side.

The second-half began with Enniscorthy backs again getting around the outside of the Ross defence to score another converted try, this time under the posts. However, this was probably the home side's final visit to the Ross half with the Barrowsiders getting on top in the forward exchanges and good pressure play from the backs.

The scores were bound to come and so they did, with Kevin Browne getting over after several close-in drives and being adjudged held up twice. Barry Walsh converted.

Ross were straight back on the attack from the re-start and scored again some five minutes later, this time with Seán Grace crashing over.

Enniscorthy could hardly get out of their '22 from that point on and the sealing score came late on when Seán Crowdle grounded after great work by Robbie Larkin, Seán Grace and Mikolaj Kochanski.

This was converted by Barry Walsh to leave the final score 24-14 to the visitors. This was a calm, workmanlike performance with no panic or drama and epitomised the belief evident within the squad that they can grind out a win in difficult circumstances.

Contenders for man of the match include Eanna Burke, Kevin Browne and Seán Grace, but the award goes to Joe Coughlan. Both sides now go on to Leinster League quarter-finals, with Enniscorthy away to Navan and Ross at home to Mullingar next weekend.

The New Ross Under-17s travelled to Barnhall in Dublin to play the last round of the Leinster League on Saturday last. New Ross were already qualified but wanted to maintain their unbeaten run.

The first-half saw a lot of knock-ons as the ball was wet and mucky. Barnhall dominated the scrums and were awarded two penalties in succession from scrums in front of the New Ross posts. Both sailed through confidently.

Needless to say, the first-half was dominated by Barnhall despite the New Ross back line coming close to scoring a couple of times. At half-time New Ross were 6-0 down but managers Francis Coughlan and Tony Brazil raised the confidence of the team and they came out a different side.

The second-half saw New Ross awarded a lot of penalties which Garrett Browne kicked brilliantly into the corners to gain territory for New Ross. After a good line-out and a couple of phases, New Ross were awarded another penalty which was taken quickly and spun wide to winger Eanna Kennedy who was tackled short of the line. The referee blew his whistle early for a try but awarded a five-metre scrum instead.

After a solid scrum, Tim Coughlan took the ball from the back of the scrum and barged over the line. The conversion was scored despite a strong wind. The ball barely left the Barnhall half after that and the rucks were largely controlled by Micheál Tench who won the ball and many penalties.

After a quick penalty, Niall Coughlan spun the ball back to Adam Swan who drop-kicked it through the posts to give New Ross a four-point lead. Barnhall kept conceding penalties and Garrett Browne kept gaining territory for New Ross.

After good back play, Eanna Kennedy sped past his opposite number and the full-back to score in the corner. The final score came from another penalty. Adam Swan went for the posts but the ball rebounded off the posts and was caught by the opposition second row who was driven back over the line.

After the five-metre scrum, Tim Coughlan again took it from the back of the scrum and burst his way over the line. The final score was 20-6. All in all it was a good result for New Ross. Micheál Tench gave a man of the match performance.

Menapians Chairman Jimmy O'Neill got a special invitation to the opening of St. Laurence O'Toole Athletic Club's new indoor training facility. This athletic club is based in Carlow and is the biggest club in Leinster.

They had some very special guests there as well: Tyson Gay, the secondfastest man in history over 100m; David Oliver, former world champion, who finished fourth in the London Olympics 100m hurdles; and Jamaican sprinter Aleen Bailey, Olympic relay sprint gold medalist, to name but a few.

We also brought up a couple of our own athletes for a meet and greet session. Julia Dempsey, who is turning out to be a great 800m prospect, and Liadh Dwyer, who is a very good sprinter and hurdler, met some of their heroes and got a few photographs as well.

Menapians would like to wish St. Laurence O'Toole all the very best with their new training venue for the future. We already have an open invitation to go up and use the venue any time, which we will be doing.

Menapians athletes are competing in the Leinster indoors next weekend as well as Seniors, Masters and Juniors. We also have the Juvenile relays where we hope to continue our annual haul of medals.

The club is now entering the competition phase and all of our athletes are eager to start racing, and to put all the training they have done to good use in the races.

With membership fast approaching the 200 mark, it will be a very busy 2013 for Menapians and we would like to wish all our members good luck. ADULT RESULT